Legendary MiG-21 Fighters Take Final Flight in Exercise Gagan Shakti-2024

India's iconic MiG-21 fighter jets are making their last stand in a major Indian Air Force (IAF) exercise. The legendary aircraft are taking part in Gagan Shakti-2024, a nationwide war game simulation that tests the IAF's combat readiness, and signals the final chapter for the MiG-21 before its imminent retirement.

Gagan Shakti-2024, running from April 1st to 10th, provides a realistic combat environment to evaluate the IAF's capabilities. The exercise is particularly poignant for the MiG-21 Bison fighters, as it marks their last major drill.

Currently, only two operational MiG-21 squadrons remain: the No. 3 Squadron ("Cobras") at Nal near Bikaner and the No. 23 Squadron ("Panthers") at Suratgarh. Both squadrons face retirement by 2025, with one potentially being phased out as early as this year.

The MiG-21 has been a stalwart of the IAF for over five decades. Having played a significant role in numerous conflicts, the aircraft's inclusion in Gagan Shakti-2024 stands as a nostalgic tribute to its illustrious history.

Its retirement marks the end of an era, ushering in more advanced fighters to bolster India's air defense capabilities.

Conclusion​

While the retirement of the MiG-21s signifies modernization within the IAF, their legacy as an enduring symbol of Indian airpower will not be forgotten.

Their participation in Gagan Shakti-2024 serves as a fitting farewell – a final demonstration of their capabilities before they are grounded for good.

 

[Ashutosh]

Wait I thought they have already taken their last flight or something like that.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

These served us well, in multiple wars. Time to give them a salute.

These Migs should be sent to museums and IAF bases as show piece for display, so future generations can laud them.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Wait I thought they have already taken their last flight or something like that.

They were going to be retired in 2025. And aircraft need to be flown regularly, both to keep aircraft fit and pilots in practice. I think sortie rates might have been reduced though.

 

[Deepak Hegde]

These served us well, in multiple wars. Time to give them a salute.

These Migs should be sent to museums and IAF bases as show piece for display, so future generations can laud them.

The way the IAF is using them now, future generations will just remember them as widow-makers and coffin makers rather than the glory they brought us earlier on in their service!

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

The way the IAF is using them now, future generations will just remember them as widow-makers and coffin makers rather than the glory they brought us earlier on in their service!

Same goes for the chetak and cheetah helicopters. These have a terrible reputation nowadays. But these are invaluable in sustaining high altitude operation of IA and IAF for decades.

 

[Hari Sud]

Despite the West’s effort to malign MIG-21, it lasted 70 years. No other fighter plane can boast of that long life.

 

[Anant]

Despite the West’s effort to malign MIG-21, it lasted 70 years. No other fighter plane can boast of that long life.

The F-4 and F-5 have achieved that, and the F-15 and F-16 will easily surpass that. The MiG-21 was an excellent aircraft for it's time, but it is no world-beater.

 

[Anant]

Wait I thought they have already taken their last flight or something like that.

They have made their last parade appearance, and are now participating in their last major exercise. If memory serves, of the 2 squadrons we still have, one is due for retirement in September and the second one in Q2 2025.

 

[ASHOK CARROL]

The squns should not be used in high intensity games and preserved with slow sortie rates till new squns are raised. An accident and loss of life leaves a fractured morale of the IAF and nation.

 

[Hari Sud]

The F-4 and F-5 have achieved that, and the F-15 and F-16 will easily surpass that. The MiG-21 was an excellent aircraft for it's time, but it is no world-beater.

Unlikely…..

 

[Anant]

Unlikely…..

They have. The only difference is that most nations operating the MiG-21 today do so because replacements are either delayed (such as India or Croatia) or because they can't afford replacements at this time (such as Syria or a lot of African nations or North Korea).

The F-4 entered full service in 1960, about 15 months after the MiG-21. Today, the F-4 is still used in numbers by Iran, Greece, Turkey, and South Korea. Of these, all nations except Iran have plans to retire these by the end of this decade, which would still make for 70 years of service. Other operators have already moved on to newer and better jets.

The F-5 entered full service in 1964, and is still flown by 18-20 nations, of which some 4 or 5 have replacement plans. Still, the F-5 may be flying well into the late 2030s, which makes for a service life of atleast 75 years.

The F-15 entered full service in 1976. The F-15EX is projected to remain in production into the early 2030s at the least, with the US planning to retire it's final F-15s in the late 2050s or early 2060s. Other F-15 operators (especially if nations like Egypt end up buying the F-15EX) may be flying these well into the 2070s, which means modified F-15s would still be in service almost a century after they initially entered service.

The F-16 entered service in 1978. While the US doesn't procure F-16s anymore, the export lines are still open, and production isn't planned to end until the late 2030s at the least, if some of the current bids materialise. Regardless, while the US plans to keep the F-16 flying into the 2060s, other operators (especially ones who get the aircraft in the next decade) may very well be flying them into the 2070s or 2080s, which means the F-16 might see over a full century in service.

The MiG-21 will also quite possibly see 90 years or so in service, but as spares become more and more difficult to come by, you are going to see increasing retirements. Do note that I am not including the J-7 here, but if you do, MiG-21 derivatives could also be flying in some capacity into the 2050s or even early 2060s.

As of the start of 2024, 14 nations operate a total of roughly 225 MiG-21s in service. Of these, 113 (just over 50%) comes from just 3 nations, and 6 nations operate less than 10 each. Out of the 14 operators, four (India, Croatia, Guinea, and Azerbaijan) will retire the MiG-21 by the end of 2025, while another four (Angola, Mozambique, Sudan, and Uganda) plan to retire them by 2030, with Libya and Cuba also possibly doing the same. Pretty much the only nations still flying the MiG-21 post-2035 will be Syria and North Korea, because they cannot acquire or afford newer jets.